Question
I have always trimmed back my many hydrangea (Nikko blue) in fall in our

East Hampton gardens. This year, didn't get around to it until March and

wonder if I will have fewer or smaller blooms. I have been told that trimming

back to the spot on the branch where there are two leaf buds will produce

twice as many flowers.  Actualy I like them fewer an bigger.  What's your take

on this?

Also, my lawn guy has limed my lawn (don't think I've done this in the past)

and suspect that I will need to apply aluminum sulfate to keep them..I

imagine there is some spillover in the soil. When is it too late in the season to

affect the color?  Have I missed my chance? The thought of pink hydrangea

makes me cringe.

Answer
Your Hydrangea situation comes up around this time frequently.

Hydrangeas bloom on OLD wood.  Many people who include pruning in their list of Spring cleaning chores unintentionally remove branches that are ready to bloom.  I know because I get questions from them all the time.

Remember this.  Because this year, pruning was for you a Spring activity.  Every time you cut a Hydrangea back in Spring, you are cutting off the Summer抯 blooming wood.

Keep to your successful schedule of pruning in Early Autumn.  Depending on how thoroughly you pruned, you will, or will not, see Pink Pompoms this Summer.  If not, please do remember that this is a common mistake, and one in fact that most people live with for several years before they ask, What is happening to my flowers every Summer?

Next, Liming is one of the slowest, most delayed treatments that you can possibly imagine.  Altering the pH of something takes a VERY LONG TIME.  It is impossible to move a pH number further than a single digit, and even this is asking an awful lot.  Further, Liming is often required as a result of low-pH Nitrogen fertilization these Lawn companies love to use.  So it is merely balancing out the negative pH effect of the Salty chemical fertilizer(s).

So let me say that simple and clear:  Lime is a SMALL change; you cannot alter the pH of any Soil dramatically.  You would not know that from all the articles about changing pH with Cider Vinegar, etc.  But that's the truth.  Scientifically proven.

Another myth is the dramatic color manipulation one can do with Hydrangeas -- the old 'Acid equals Blue' 'Alkaline equals Pink' rule.  This has been told so many times I don't know where to begin.

Hydrangeas owe almost ALL of their color not to the pH of the Soil, but to their DNA.  Pink Hydrangeas are not pink because of alkaline Soil.  They are pink because the Hydrangea gene is pink.

There is a way over a very long period of time, and no slipups, to slowly adjust the color, just a little, of a Hydrangea.

But those gazillion words written about feeding your Hydrangea Aluminum Sulfate to max out the Blue -- while true in a pure sense, these are just a way to promote the sale of Aluminum Sulfate, or something else.  Try it.  You'll see.

If you are seeking larger flowers on this shrub (next year, that is, unless you get lucky this year), encourage them with the right pruning.  But they may be sufficiently large in their usual state.  If not, simply remove all but the single bud from a stem.  For best performance, nearly total full Sun exposure is best, or the closest thing you have.  Good luck and thank you for writing,

L.I.G.